HS Referees

[Unregistered]

It still remains a situation of supply and demand. The supply of "quality" referees (however you want to define that) does not meet the demand. Therefore, the quality of refereeing the game suffers. Do more to increase the pool and do more to increase the quality of the current pool.

Again, while true to the point of stating the obvious (more better referees would mean more better referees...thanks!), it's a distraction to the point of fact that whatever the pool size is right now, there are some number (too many) of incapable referees who are getting assignments they shouldn't be getting strictly based on their seniority, taking those matches from more capable referees.

[Unregistered]

Again, while true to the point of stating the obvious (more better referees would mean more better referees...thanks!), it's a distraction to the point of fact that whatever the pool size is right now, there are some number (too many) of incapable referees who are getting assignments they shouldn't be getting strictly based on their seniority, taking those matches from more capable referees.

The big thing IMHO is getting more ballgames in the evening. I am sure there are a decent amount of quality refs who are exclusively USSF because they can't get out for games that start in the 3-4 PM range.

[Unregistered]

The big thing IMHO is getting more ballgames in the evening. I am sure there are a decent amount of quality refs who are exclusively USSF because they can't get out for games that start in the 3-4 PM range.

I agree, that probably couldn't hurt, but I also wonder about what someone else posted about the additional or separate certification and fee?

Is that MIAA being beholden to NFHS not being able to give a green light to USSF refs (regardless of start times)?

[Unregistered]

3 man crew at my kid's U13 club match today was stellar. It's a shame HS can't put anything on the field that close on anywhere near a consistent basis.

[Unregistered]

I agree, that probably couldn't hurt, but I also wonder about what someone else posted about the additional or separate certification and fee?

Is that MIAA being beholden to NFHS not being able to give a green light to USSF refs (regardless of start times)?

If you are interested in officiating soccer, why would you not get involved in high school soccer?

[Unregistered]

If you are interested in officiating soccer, why would you not get involved in high school soccer?

Because 3/4 of games are typically at times when only the unemployed, self employed or retired could be available to do them.

[Unregistered]

As a fan, I have become more concerned with the thin skin that many of these refs have adopted. I have been to 2 matches this fall where the refs have stopped play to move a disgruntled supporter of one team or the other. In neither case was invective or foul language used, though 1 ref claimed otherwise, and it was fairly benign in nature. They are well compensated for their time, certainly not for their ability, but some complaining goes along with the job. They need to stop acting like babies, which makes the earlier reference to adult diapers a bit more pertinent.
Any thoughts?

Thin skin? How about if you just shut up and watch the game. Nobody wants to hear you scream at the referees.

[Unregistered]

And there I was laughing thinking you meant an eye sight test because half of them are blind. :)

The attitudes in this forum confirm why I stopped refereeing. The kids were great and I miss them but the jerks on the sidelines ruin it for everyone. I don't need the money and given the demands of my day job it just was not worth it anymore. I was a damned good referee. That is not my opinion but the feedback I received from players, coaches, assesors, and AD's. I am fit, know the game as a coach and player, and took my job seriously. If you people want to know why you get inconsistent quality on the field then take my post seriously and take it to heart. YOU are the reason there are not enough officials.

You call it being thin-skinned. I call it being civilized. The total lack of civility by a small but vocal minority of parents have ruined many youth soccer events and HS sports. I have been threatened with physical harm, been called names by people using language that is never appropriate in public and was used in front of small children and teenagers, my wife has received abuse on the sidelines, I have been screamed at over some of the simplest LOTG that anybody has watched a single match on TV would understand.

This is the youth sports world you have created either by your actions or inaction. So shut up and deal with it.

[Unregistered]

The attitudes in this forum confirm why I stopped refereeing. The kids were great and I miss them but the jerks on the sidelines ruin it for everyone. I don't need the money and given the demands of my day job it just was not worth it anymore. I was a damned good referee. That is not my opinion but the feedback I received from players, coaches, assesors, and AD's. I am fit, know the game as a coach and player, and took my job seriously. If you people want to know why you get inconsistent quality on the field then take my post seriously and take it to heart. YOU are the reason there are not enough officials.

You call it being thin-skinned. I call it being civilized. The total lack of civility by a small but vocal minority of parents have ruined many youth soccer events and HS sports. I have been threatened with physical harm, been called names by people using language that is never appropriate in public and was used in front of small children and teenagers, my wife has received abuse on the sidelines, I have been screamed at over some of the simplest LOTG that anybody has watched a single match on TV would understand.

This is the youth sports world you have created either by your actions or inaction. So shut up and deal with it.

There are enough officials. The problem is that there are two pools. NFHS and USSF. A lot of the USSF guys do not bother with HS because of the good ol boy network.

[Unregistered]

3 man crew at my kid's U13 club match today was stellar. It's a shame HS can't put anything on the field that close on anywhere near a consistent basis.

Makes sense. Put a team capable of doing a U 13 game in a game with 17/18 year old HS boys.

Here's some news for you. There are PLENTY of Referees that do Club games that aren't capable of handling the older ages.

[Unregistered]

The attitudes in this forum confirm why I stopped refereeing. The kids were great and I miss them but the jerks on the sidelines ruin it for everyone. I don't need the money and given the demands of my day job it just was not worth it anymore. I was a damned good referee. That is not my opinion but the feedback I received from players, coaches, assesors, and AD's. I am fit, know the game as a coach and player, and took my job seriously. If you people want to know why you get inconsistent quality on the field then take my post seriously and take it to heart. YOU are the reason there are not enough officials.

You call it being thin-skinned. I call it being civilized. The total lack of civility by a small but vocal minority of parents have ruined many youth soccer events and HS sports. I have been threatened with physical harm, been called names by people using language that is never appropriate in public and was used in front of small children and teenagers, my wife has received abuse on the sidelines, I have been screamed at over some of the simplest LOTG that anybody has watched a single match on TV would understand.

This is the youth sports world you have created either by your actions or inaction. So shut up and deal with it.

I completely respect and agree with this post. But I think it's reasonable to to highlight that even in this thread that the point has been made that the "bad" referees do the "good" referees no favors and the system of assigning matches, based on what I've heard from referees themselves, does NOT help the situation, but quite the opposite, hurts it.

The reality to me seems to be that the civilized behavior you're rightly looking for, and should occur regardless is exacerbated by the fact that some referees under the varsity lights at a 7pm kick-off should NOT ever see the field again. At this point it's a chicken an egg, and if nothing changes, nothing will change.

Here's a question I have regarding the idea of feedback, rating, etc. Can a HS referee ever be "demoted" whether that's the badge they hold, the assignments they get, through some process of assessment or feedback? Or is it that they always do a good job, made the right calls, are fit enough and so on? Simple question -- are the best officials getting the matches they should be getting OR is this "good ol' boy network" that everyone (including referees I talk to) actually a thing and it's having a negative impact?

[Unregistered]

Makes sense. Put a team capable of doing a U 13 game in a game with 17/18 year old HS boys.

Here's some news for you. There are PLENTY of Referees that do Club games that aren't capable of handling the older ages.

Typical apologist response. Defend and deny. Here's some news for you, aside from your assumption that THIS crew wouldn't be capable of doing the HS match (because I surely didn't say or imply every), that there are PLENTY of referees that do HS who aren't capable and should probably demonstrate that they are STILL capable of handling U13.

[Unregistered]

There are enough officials. The problem is that there are two pools. NFHS and USSF. A lot of the USSF guys do not bother with HS because of the good ol boy network.

Nice obfuscation of the issues. FYI - I also coached HS soccer. There was no old boy network and I was in one of the bigger leagues. We had a group of about 10 referees who handled our home games and an entirely different group at the away games. A couple of the refs were average but most were above average and just as good as the MAPLE refs. In fact many were doing both leagues.

I think the problem here is that you really don't understand the LOTG. My experience is that the vast majority of complaints about officiating are based on an incomplete understanding of the job. The second cause is the fact that the whiners don't realize that you cannot judge what happens from the sidelines. The game looks very different from up close.

[Unregistered]

Thin skin? How about if you just shut up and watch the game. Nobody wants to hear you scream at the referees.

Proving you have thin skin and Rabbit ears.

[Unregistered]

Proving you have thin skin and Rabbit ears.

Actually I am a parent who stands on the sidelines. Trust me. 90% of the fans at the game think you are an idiot.